Yan Qige was selecting leather water skins with Mingran at a leather goods shop. He had just picked up a rhinoceros hide water skin decorated with bamboo patterns when suddenly, for unknown reasons, he felt his heart violently contract in his chest. The water skin in his hand dropped onto the table as an unprecedented unease and foreboding surged through his chest.

“Young master, what’s wrong?” Mingran, who was also selecting items nearby, asked in gentle, soft tones upon seeing his condition.

“It’s nothing. This one is quite beautiful – have the shopkeeper come wrap it up.”

“Alright, I’ll go call the shopkeeper over right away.” Mingran smiled as she responded, then turned to go to the counter to call the shopkeeper, who was looking down at his accounts.

Just after Mingran turned away, Yan Qige quickly curved his fingers before his chest, softly chanting incantations under his breath as he closed his eyes and used his mental power to sense Yusang’s condition.

“Young master, which one would you like?” The shopkeeper came over and spoke.

Yan Qige calmly withdrew his hand and turned around, resuming his indifferent expression as he handed the water skin to the shopkeeper.

“Please wait a moment, young master. I’ll go punch holes and weave straps for you – this way it’ll be convenient to hang on your horse while traveling.” The shopkeeper left with a smile, leaving only Mingran and Yan Qige in the shop’s main hall.

Yan Qige turned around, pretending to continue selecting items. Mingran also turned around, seeming to look at something as well. But in the next moment, they both suddenly turned around at almost the same time. Mingran now had a fish bone dagger in her hand, completely abandoning her usual gentle and virtuous demeanor. Her pupils gleamed green, her eyes revealed killing intent as she thrust directly toward Yan Qige’s chest.

Yan Qige stepped back, his hands quickly forming an array with his fingers before his chest as he chanted under his breath, using spiritual power to create a protective barrier around himself, catching Mingran’s dagger between two fingers.

“With just these meager abilities, you think you can kill me?” Yan Qige spoke coldly.

“You were already prepared – it seems I underestimated you.” Mingran snorted angrily in frustration, showing some unwillingness as she asked: “I’ve studied mortal women’s behavior for several hundred years and thought I was flawless. When did you discover me?”

Yan Qige didn’t respond vocally, his expression remaining as indifferent as always. Mingran met his gaze, then began showing disbelief, defeat, and anger: “Could it be… You knew from the moment you brought me ashore from the river?”

“A demon is a demon. No matter how human-like the transformation, no matter how perfect the disguise, it’s still just a demon,” Yan Qige spoke coldly.

“Impossible. If you knew early on that I wasn’t human, then why did you keep me by your side these past two days? Could it be… You mortal actually couldn’t bear to part with this demon’s beauty?” Mingran showed a seductive, charming smile.

Yan Qige’s mind was now solely worried about Yusang being in danger. Unwilling to waste more time with Mingran, some anger showed through as he asked impatiently: “What have you done with Yusang?”

“I almost forgot about that pet of yours. So you’re turning against me urgently because of her.” Mingran, thinking she had found Yan Qige’s weakness, spoke with considerably more confidence.

“If not for her, do you think you could have gotten close to me? She’s innocent – release her. Whatever you want, come directly to me.”

“How do you know I’m targeting you? Who do you think you are – just a mortal who knows some minor magic arts? In the end, you’re still just a mortal. What qualifications do you have to negotiate with me? Of course… you’re so handsome, if you’re willing to stay and keep me company, I might consider releasing your pet.”

“Is that so?” Yan Qige coldly curved his lips in what seemed like a smile but wasn’t, his demeanor wicked and charming. Under his gaze and smile, Mingran felt some hesitation and confusion. Mingran was a demon who had seen many young, handsome men, but faced with Yan Qige, whose temperament and appearance were both rarely found in this world, she still harbored some selfish desires. The dagger in her hand seemed to waver in strength for a moment.

But in that instant, Yan Qige suddenly exerted force. The spiritual power in his hands exploded outward, and before Mingran could react, he had already knocked the fish bone dagger from her hand while a spiritual blade cut through her protective energy wave, leaving a wound from her shoulder to her chest.

Yan Qige sidestepped and reached out to catch the falling fish bone dagger. The blade that had been aimed at him the previous moment was now pressed against Mingran’s throat the next.

“The Red Pearl River is one of the world’s three great rivers, the source of Wangling Kingdom’s dragon vein. This place should be rich in spiritual essence with clear flowing water, yet now it’s shrouded in demonic energy. Speak – who are your accomplices? What manner of demons are you?”

Mingran was restrained by the dagger and couldn’t move, but she showed little fear or terror. Looking at Yan Qige with a cold smile, she spoke unhurriedly: “I didn’t expect you to be not only handsome but also clever and quick-handed, much more intelligent than those demon-hunting Taoist priests and monks who came here before. But so what if you’re clever? That little demon is now in our hands. If you dare harm a hair on my head, she’ll lose an arm. Since you care about her, you can’t bear to hurt me.”

“She’s just a little demon following by my side. There are countless demons in the world. If you think I would truly spare you, demons causing chaos for her sake, then you’re gravely mistaken.” Yan Qige’s eyes showed clear killing intent, and the dagger at Mingran’s throat cut through skin and pierced into flesh, blood flowing steadily from her neck.

Mingran looked at Yan Qige’s cold, calm face and the uncompromising look in his eyes. Her arrogant face gradually showed fear and panic as she began to believe that Yan Qige truly didn’t care about Yusang. She said tremblingly: “I’ll tell… I’ll tell…”

Yan Qige stopped the blade from piercing into Mingran’s flesh, seeming to wait for her to continue, but before he could hear her next words, he suddenly felt something strike his back heavily.

The fish bone dagger fell from Yan Qige’s hand to the ground, and his body fell backward. Mingran picked up the dagger from the ground with a cold smile, looked at it, then nodded to the shop owner across from them, who was holding a club: “I’ll remember your contribution.”

“Thank you, Divine Lady, thank you, Divine Lady.” The shop owner joyfully dropped the club in his hands, knelt down and kowtowed to Mingran.

Mingran looked at the person on the ground with some pride and disdain. Just as she was about to say something, suddenly dark clouds covered the sun in the sky. The previously sunny weather became dark and gloomy in an instant. After a flash of lightning, a voice of indeterminate gender came from all directions.

“The eighty-first soul is now sufficient. Watch her well – tonight when the moon is full, we’ll conduct the ritual.”

With these words, a person was thrown in through the doorway and fell to the ground. Looking carefully, it was Yusang, but she had been placed under a spell and couldn’t move, her eyes closed.

“Yes, I will handle it well.” Mingran walked to the doorway, looking up at the dark clouds in the sky as she answered.

Just as quickly as the clouds had arrived, in the blink of an eye the dark clouds in the sky disappeared and bright white sunlight once again shone into the room. Mingran kicked Yusang’s leg with her foot, and seeing that she didn’t move, felt relieved. She casually beckoned the shop owner to lock up both Yusang and Yan Qige, to wait for her return when she would personally handle them.